When I was a kid, I used to laugh at people whenever they say a dog is a man’s best friend. I kept asking why would they be friends with an animal? Animals do not even talk. And dogs, specifically, are very aggressive and scary. I grew up thinking they will bite me if I even get near them.
Until one day, I fell in love. I fell head over heels in love with the cutest but definitely the most fragile puppy I have ever seen. Black and white never looked so beautiful in my life. I named her Chichi.
The day I took her home, she became sick. Days after being with me, she started acting really weird and pooping something greenish and black. I took her to the vet clinic and the veterinarian told me that it is canine distemper. It is what caused Kissy, my first dog’s death. I was so afraid for her because survival rate for her is so low since she has started getting seizures.
When I went home, I kept praying and begging God to let her survive and I promised to take care of her. It was never an easy battle for us. I remember having to wake up every two hours just to force feed her and force her to drink water to keep her hydrated. There were times when she’d just throw up and get seizures. But my tiny chihuahua is a fighter, she eventually survived something that would have taken her away from me so early.
She gets sick yearly, especially that time when she got pregnant and I thought it was her end. But as usual, I got a fighter babe! She survived.
Everytime she gets sick, I get really scared. I am like a mother getting anxious when her child is not feeling well.
But the last time I sent her to the vet before her due date was when I felt a major separation anxiety. It felt like it was the last time I will ever be with her. I kept complaining and ranting on my social media accounts of how much I miss her and of how much I want her back. Until one day, the vet told me that Chichi gave birth to two cute puppies and that they are ready to be picked up. I was so happy that nothing bad happened to her. I wanted to rush to the veterinary clinic and hug her tight. But when I reached the vet clinic, my heart shattered. Chichi got complications and she was having seizures. They were trying to revive her and I was standing right there. Silently praying she’ll survive one more time while helplessly watching her leave me…
That night, I could not even afford to carry her home with me. I lost Chichi and it shattered my world. I did not just lose a pet, it’s more of like I lost my bestfriend… my closest family member… My best friend who has seen me cry myself to sleep when life took away three important people in my life. I lost my best friend who likes licking my feet whenever I feel so down. The only best friend who waits on the front door for me to come home and celebrating like she won billions of dollars whenever she sees me. The best friend who taught me how to unconditionally love someone. The one that showed me what a best friend she truly is.
As much as I hated to admit how she still makes me tear up whenever I remember her, I really do. She still makes me so sad but like Chichi, I will continue to fight and show this world that I am one hell of a soldier. I will keep moving and try to be the bestest friend to anyone the way Chichi has been to me.
heyiannesy 